My Little Mere Maid
by Chae.Rim
Summary: When seventeen years old Arnold reluctantly spent his summer to be Helga’s maid, he soon realized the true character of Helga as she merely showed herself behind the dangerous and buttkicking mask that she had always hid under.
1. Prologue: Goodbye Good Old Time

**My Little Mere-Maid**

_By_ **Chae.Rim**

**Disclaimer: **Nickelodeon and Viacom own Hey Arnold! Craig Bartlett created it.

**Brief Summary:** When seventeen years old Arnold reluctantly spent his summer to be Helga's maid, he soon realized the true character of Helga as she merely showed herself behind the dangerous, butt-kicking, and ill manner mask that she had always hid under.

**

* * *

**

Prologue: Goodbye Good Old Time

" BINNNGGOOOO!" the announcer yelled. " And the third place winner is…"

" Turn the TV down Phil!" Arnold's grandma yelled from the kitchen.

" I'm trying to listen to the lottery here! You know, first place winner can have like a million dollars!" Phil replied. " We'll be filthy rich if we won!"

" You know, there are thousands of people who entered this lottery," Grandma said carelessly.

" I hope my fifty bucks doesn't go to waste," Grandpa sighed, and then paid attention to the TV.

" And the first place winner is…" the announcer slowed down his pace. The drum began to roll louder and louder as thousands of hearts were racing at the same moment. " H.G.P.! Congratulation, H.G.P. The million dollar grand price will be send to your door! And now, our administrators have decided to give out 'Encouragement Prize'. They are two tickets of a year worth trip to Hawaii, all expense will be taken care of, and will given to five lucky winners."

" Oh great! My fifty bucks is given to H.P.G., whoever that is!" Phil complained. " I shouldn't have entered this lottery to begin with!"

" And our last lucky winner out of the five is…" the announcer repeated the same regular action. However, before the announcer finished his sentence, Grandpa turned off the TV and joined his wife in the kitchen to the delicious breakfast.

" Good Morning, Grandpa and Grandma," Arnold dully greeted.

" What's wrong, Arnold?" Grandma asked. " You don't look so good."

" It's just that I'm broke, Grandma," Arnold sighed. " I spent my allowance on the lottery thingy."

" PHIL!" Grandma gave Grandpa a cold stare.

" What?" Grandpa exclaimed sarcastically.

" I can't believe you listened to your grandfather," Grandma sighed.

" It's not Grandpa's fault," Arnold sadly said.

" See!" Grandpa interrupted.

" I just wanted to try out my lucks and have a really nice vacation," Arnold said dreamily, but then he dropped his voice. " Guess like it's not going to happen."

" Don't worry about it, Arnold," Grandpa tried to comfort him. " I'm broke, too."

" How about you get a summer job and start saving for next summer, Arnold?" Grandma suggested. " After all, next year you'll be graduated, so then with your saving, I think you'll have the best summer as a kid!"

" Yeah, thanks Grandma," Arnold slightly smiled. " I'll do that."

Arnold stepped out of the boarding house and took a deep breath of the new summer breeze, and then exhaled a big sigh. _So much for playing time_, Arnold thought. _Well, it's time to say goodbye to good old time anyway. _

" Hey Arnold!" Gerald shouted from across the street as he began to cross over.

" Hey Gerald," Arnold said dully.

" What's up, man?" Gerald excitedly said.

" Not much," Arnold replied. " What are you planning to do this summer?"

" Probably get a job. I'm broke."

" Same here."

" Let's hit the newspaper."

" Alright, let's go my house Arnold. My dad works at a Service Agency, so maybe he might find some suitable jobs for us. You know, easy and make fast money."

" Good idea," Arnold grinned as he walked with Gerald. " So you entered the lottery, too, huh?"

" Yeah, I swear everyone was so sucked in that lottery. After I heard the grand prize winner goes to H.G.P., whoever that is, all of my hopes were gone at that instant moment."

" Me too. I almost bounce my head on the radio."

Gerald laughed out loud, and so was Arnold. _Maybe this summer wasn't going to be that bad after all_, he thought.

As Arnold settled down on Gerald's bed, Gerald quickly grabbed the newspaper and a pen to begin their reluctant adventure a head.

" How about this, Arnold," Gerald said as he point out the ad. " Pet Service. Clean your pet as clean as snow white. Need a dog washer. Fifteen dollars per hour."

" Good deal. Let's go and try out," Arnold excitedly said.

**When they arrived…**

" This is it," Arnold said as he stared at the withered wooden shop.

" I'm not sure about this," Gerald tweaked his eyes. " It doesn't seem very… welcoming."

" Welcome or not," Arnold said. " It's our next summer vacation, so let's."

Arnold urged his friend to take a several steps closer to the door. Reluctantly, his friend obeyed and opened the door. The inside of the shop looked pretty nice. They both found it very strange on how they displayed the pet service shop. It looked like a beauty salon shop with high tech chairs and tables. The room was filled with exactly ten chairs and ten small tables. Each chair was covered with black fancy leather, a massage remote, and a small tub under. Arnold was expecting more of big bathtubs. Ignoring such thoughts, they both moved on and talked with the manager at the counter.

" Hello, how can I help you?" the manager said nicely.

" We're saw your ad-" Arnold began to speak.

" I see, summer job, no?" the manager cut them off.

" Yes," Arnold looked at the tag on her shirt. "Fay Fay."

" You'll be calling me m'am or manager if you'll be working here," the tone of the manager voice stiffened and became stricter. " We'll see how you do in one day and decide whether you'll be hire or not. Understand?"

" Yes, m'am," both of Arnold and Gerald said at the same time.

" Good. Now go to the back room, you'll see our shop uniforms. Wear it, and one of the worker over there will show you the rest," the manager demanded.

" Yes, m'am," both Gerald and Arnold said.

When both of them were finished changing and ready to get to work, one of the girl name Lucy showed them how to use the high tech chair, how to wash the pet in the tub, how to give it a perfect salon, how to keep the place always clean, how to do the 'nail it, wash it, dry it, perfume it, perfect it, tame it', and how to get tips from customers.

" Okay, here come your first customer," Lucy said as a elegant fat lady who dressed in a pink furry dress walked in with two white fuzzy dogs in her big arms.

" Good morning Madam," the manager smiled to the customer.

" Good morning Fay Fay," the lady replied. " I'll drop off Fluffy and Devil here, and I'll come back in an hour."

" Yes Madam," Fay Fay replied sweetly as she received the dogs. " Leave everything to us. We'll take care of your precious."

When the lady completely out of sight, Fay Fay came up to Arnold and Gerald.

" You, the newbie with tall black hair and the football-head, give these a full salon," Fay Fay said coldly. " Lucy showed you the NWDPPT, right?"

" Yes, m'am," Gerald and Arnold answered.

They took a deep breath, forced a smile, and received the dogs. Gerald thought it was a pain in the neck, but then after five minutes being with the dog, he had it easy. The dog he had in his hand was named Devil. Surprisingly, it basically listened and obeyed everything he told it to do. Gerald cleaned its nailed, bathed it, dry it, put perfume on it, doing any other necessary to make it looks nice, and gave it a treat. Gerald finished the NWDPPT barely before the clock reached thirty minutes while Arnold struggled to continue washing the dog so-called-Fluffy and tried to keep it from biting him.

" Need help, buddy?" Gerald grinned.

" No assistant," Fay Fay roared from behind.

" Strict chick," Gerald whispered to Arnold.

" I said NO ASSISTANT!" Fay Fay yelled even louder.

" I'm just talking to him," Gerald replied.

" Whatever," Fay Fay snorted and turned her face into to her magazine.

" Scary chick, you mean," Arnold murmured under his breath and made sure his voice was low enough so Fay Fay couldn't hear it.

" At least, I think this job is pretty easy," Gerald smiled as the dog used it claw and wiped Arnold arm.

" OW!" Arnold cried. " What the hell!"

" What's happening over there?" Fay Fay demanded.

" The stinking dog just wiped me," Arnold yelled as a single drop of blood dropped.

" What did you do to it?" Fay Fay narrowed her eyes.

" What do you mean what did I do to it? It just wiped my bloody arm," Arnold angrily replied, trying to keep his voice as calm as possible.

" You absolutely have no sense of animal tameness, do you?" Fay Fay said as an insult. " Continue your work."

" Isn't this abusing your worker?" Arnold angrily whispered to Gerald. Before Gerald could reply, when Arnold was trying to hold Fluffy by the stomach, Fluffy jumped out of the tub, ran around the shop, and hit everything in its way.

" It went berserk!" Lucy shrieked as she jumped on the chair near by.

" Someone catches the dog!" Fay Fay yelled.

Gerald and Arnold ran after the dogs, but apparently, it was too fast for the two of them. In fact, chasing after the dogs was even making the place looked worst. Arnold ran by and hit the bucket of soap water on the floor, so then Gerald began to go berserk as well as the dog because he stepped on the soapy floor. Arnold, Gerald, and Fluffy were covered with soap on their head and entire body. The dog kept barking and running like crazy for the next thirty minutes. Arnold was amazed how it never had gotten tired.

When the fat fancy lady entered the messy wrecked shop, she gasped and shrieked as the soakedFluffy ran to her arm suddenly.

" WATCH OUT!" Arnold yelled.

It was too late. Gerald and him landed on the fat lady before they know it. Gerald and Arnold got up and looked at the scene. Fay Fay finally got off her chair now everything had calmed down. She tried not to slipped on the soapy floor and sauntered toward the fat lady lying on the ground. Arnold found it funny when he saw the fancy fat lady struggled and wiggled, trying to get up. It was like seeing a big fat turtle lying on its back.

" What are you people standing there for?" the lady screamed. " HELP ME UP!"

Reluctantly, everyone in the shop tried to pull the lady up. The task was done after a very long moment. Everyone sweated._ It was like pulling an elephant up,_ Arnold thought.

" IS THIS HOW YOUR SHOP BEHAVES?" The lady screamed into Fay Fay's face. " DID YOU TOUCH MY PRECIOUS FLUFFY'S STOMACH?"

" We just got two new workers, so…" Fay Fay nervously said.

" HOW IRRESPONSIBLE YOU ARE!" she kept on screaming.

After five minutes of silent, the lady calmed her self down.

" Aren't I your regular customer?" the lady stilled seemed to be very irritated. " You should let experienced professional to take care of my babies."

" Yes, m'am," Fay Fay panicked and bowed her head. " Next time I'll personally take care of Fluffy."

" You'll hope there will be a next time," the lady gave Fay Fay a cold look and stomped out of the shop with both of the dogs on her arms.

" Damn!" Fay Fay clenched her fists and thrown them on the counter heavily. She walked toward Arnold and Gerald with a fiery face. Arnold hadn't seen anything so scary except for the horror movie that he saw with Gerald a month ago. Arnold gulped. He was sure not to be hire. " You two, go home."

" So do we get to know tomorrow if we can work here or not?" Gerald asked casually.

" No, I'll tell you right now," Fay Fay said primly. " You with the tall black hair stay, and the football-head will have to go. Well, good day."

" Sorry, manager," Arnold apologized. Fay Fay didn't answered and kept on walking her way.

* * *

" Great…" Arnold murmured under his breath as Gerald and him leave the shop. " How do I suppose to know not to touch its stomach?" 

" Don't worry about it, Arnold," Gerald tried to comfort him. " Let's go get a bite at my house and wait until my dad comes home. I'm sure he can hook you up with a job."

" Sure," Arnold let out a big sigh and forgot about the pet shop. " Thanks, Gerald."

" No problem."

**When Gerald's dad came home…**

" Hey Dad!" Gerald greeted.

" Hello Gerald," Gerald's dad replied as he stepped in the house. " Hello Arnold. Did you guys get a summer job yet?"

" I did," Gerald said. " But Arnold haven't found the right one yet. Any idea for a job that is easy and make fast money, Dad?"

" Well, I got a call from a rich lady today. She just move in the new house on the hill, and she's looking for a maid to clean her house daily," Gerald said.

" Whoa there, Dad, a maid?" Gerald interrupted and tweaked one side of his eyebrows.

" Yes, Gerald. A maid. With highly paid maid," Gerald's dad continued. " Twenty bucks an hour. Clean her house twice a week or more. As long as she's happy with your work, she'll give you nice tips. For summer jobs, that's the nicest one I've seen. Since the house is new and not that big, being a 'maid' for that house has it easy."

" But Dad, a maid?" Gerald gave him the same look as before again.

" What's wrong with being a maid?" Gerald's dad asked him.

" Well… Arnold here is a boy. Isn't maid is a job for girls?" Gerald still gave him the same tweaked look.

" Well, if you don't like the word maid, consider it janitor or something," Gerald's dad replied. " Trust me, Arnold. This job is pretty good. If you clean the place in an hour per visit, twice a week, by the time you go to school, that's about ten weeks. You'll get four hundred bucks or more."

" I'll take the job Mr. Johanssen," Arnold grinned.

" Okay then," Gerald's dad returned a smile and get out a piece of paper from his suitcase. " The owner of the house wanted her new worker to sign this contract. Read it over and sign it."

* * *

Arnold read the first page of the contract… 

1. Do whatever the lady tells you to do. For example, if she tells you to clean the toilet, obey.

2. Everything in the lady's house should not be removed or replaced. If she finds something missing, you'll be in a lot of trouble, and could be sue.

3. Do not call the lady any thing you wish, you must call her miss or madam. No name-calling.

4. Do not touch her private personal things.

5. Do not enter her closet, ever.

6. Do not argue.

7. Please go to work on time. She'll give you permission when to work.

8. When working at her house, unless the lady commutes with you, please keep quiet and don't annoy her.

* * *

_Pretty simple things_, Arnold thought. He skipped the rest of the page and sighed his name on the bottom. 

" Thank you, Mr. Johanssesn," Arnold smiled.

" You welcome, Arnold," Gerald's dad gently replied.

" I'll be going home now," Arnold said. " Good bye everyone."

" Good bye, Arnold," Gerald's dad formally said.

" See ya later," Gerald grinned. " We are going to have the best summer next year."

" Right on," Arnold beamed a grinned back.

* * *

When Arnold got home, he saw the house was full of suitcases. 

" Hey Arnold!" his grandpa greeted. " You're finally home."

" What happened, Grandpa?" Arnold frustrated. " Are you guys going somewhere?"

" Yup," Grandpa cheerfully replied. " Hawaii."

" What?" Arnold opened his eyes as wide as possible. " Hawaii? I thought you said you were broke."

" Well Arnold," Grandpa said. " Remember the lottery thing? The Encouragement Prize?"

" Yeah…" Arnold tweaked his eyebrows and dropped his jaws. " No way! You guys got the prize?"

" Yup, little man," Grandpa grinned. " All expense taken care of. Two tickets."

" You'll be there for a year, Grandpa?" Arnold asked.

" Yup. I think you'll be just fine here by collecting the rent every month."

" Okay… Are you leaving today?"

" Tomorrow, Arnold."

Arnold forced a smile on his face and walked to his room while sadness was jumping up and down in his stomach. Lying on his bed and staring at the blue dark sky, Arnold thought over it. After all, Grandpa and Grandma were at a pretty high age. It was an opportunity for them to have the time of their life while it last. Arnold closed his eyes and smile to himself. He'll be fine. Next year, everything will shine once he's eighteen. Perfect timing, he thought.

" Dinner, Arnold!" Grandma yelled.

" Coming Grandma!" Arnold replied.

While eating dinner with his grandparents for the last time before they headed for Hawaii, the conversation on the table was only about the trip and Grandma's lecture on what happened in emergency and things.

" If you need food, just go to Mr. Green," Grandma said. " If you need anything or in an emergency, call us immediately."

" Calm down, Pookies," Grandpa said as he swallowed a spoonful of mashed potatoes.

" Ernie, Mr. Huynh, Oskar, and I will take care of Arnold," Suzie smiled. " We won't let anything happen to him."

" Yeah, Grandma. Don't worry about me," Arnold smiled.

That night, the conversation was too busy revolved around the Hawaii trip that Arnold forgot to tell them that he just got his first job. Arnold forgot about it himself until the morning after his grandparents had left. From now on, Arnold had to be independence now when his grandparents were away. _It's a good chance for experience_, Arnold encouraged himself_. Everything will be just fine, just like what Grandma and Grandpa always said._

RINNNGG!

" Hello?" Arnold answered.

" Hey Arnold," Gerald's dad greeted. " Your boss wanted you to come today. Her house has finished moving in and all. She wanted go over something with you when you come."

" Okay. Thank you," Arnold said. " I'll be there in a minute."

**Five minutes later…**

Arnold arrived at his boss's house. He stared at the extravagant house for a second and stepped on the doormat. _Everything looked so expensive…_ Arnold thought. _Well, of course_. Arnold raised his hand and rang the doorbell.

" Coming!" a familiar voice from the inside shouted. Arnold scolded his brain and tried to figure out the familiar voice, but he just couldn't think of anything. When the doorknob began to turn, Arnold put on a smile on his face to get the boss's impression in their first meeting. As the door revealed the face of his boss, Arnold gasped. His eyes widened, his mouth opened, his jaw dropped, and his mind panicked.

_My boss…_ Arnold cried out loud in his head. … _is HELGA G. PATAKI?_

" Hello my new worker," Helga beamed a grimly evil smile.

Arnold stammered and utterly couldn't say a word. _Great!_ Arnold thought as his brain reminded him of the first rule of the contract. _Goodbye good old time…_ _This is going to be hell._

* * *

**Chae.Rim: End Prologue. To Be Continue...**

If you have any question, suggestion, critics, please feel free to say them. Thank you for reading and leave review on your way out.


	2. Chapter I: The Ultimate Bet

**My Little Mere-Maid**

_By_ **Chae.Rim**

**Disclaimer: **Nickelodeon and Viacom own Hey Arnold! Craig Bartlett created it.

* * *

**Chapter I : The Ultimate Bet **

**Before the lottery was announced…**

" HILDA!" the rumble voice of Big Bob roared.

" Criminey, Bob," Helga scolded her face as she stepped down the stairs." Get it right already. It's Helga. H-E-L-G-A. Is that so hard to remember, Bob?"

" Yeah yeah yeah," Bob answered carelessly. " Just eat your breakfast already."

" No way," Helga said utterly as she pushed away a dry plate of burned egos. " No way I'm going to eat this black … crap."

" Well, just pour some honey on it," Bob said. " It'll taste sweet then."

" Just because Miriam is going on a vacation for a month doesn't mean I'm going to have to eat this bull crap you cook every morning,' Helga folded her arms and sternly said.

" Okay, you don't have to eat it," Bob said nonchalantly as he lunged for her dish and threw it in the trashcan.

Helga stared at him recklessly when Bob began to whistle his old 80s song and took out a perfect dish inside the oven.

" What the hell?" Helga scolded.

" This summer, you're going to learn how to cook, so then no allowance. You can learn how to cook or just starve to death," Bob grinned as he enjoyed his to-be victorious moment. _Victory shall be mine, Miriam! _Bob thought cheerfully.

* * *

**A day before…**

Bob Pataki put his hand in his jacket as he walked with his wife to the gate of her departure station in the airport.

" Bob, remember I've already bought everything and put them in the fridge enough for a week, so on Sunday, you'll have to go Mr. Green to get some meat, and do some groceries shopping for the other vegetables," Miriam said.

" Jeeze, why do I have to be the one who goes to buy stuff? Why didn't you tell Helga to do these things?" Bob scolded. He hated "_women-shopping_".

" Because, Bob, like you, she hates shopping. No cooking skills, never have any experience with food besides eating them, I don't think it's a suitable job for her. At least you can cook a thing or two," Miriam replied.

" Why didn't you teach her how to cook? And do the things you women do?" Bob stared at her.

" Who are you kidding, Bob?" Miriam chuckled. " This is Helga, Bob, not Olga. If I could teach her, I would have. Seriously Bob, you're very funny, saying that."

" Oh yeah? I bet I can teach her," Bob blurted out in triumph. An imaginary spotlight and audience appeared in Bob's mind as he had conquered the ferocious beast how to cook was interrupted or rather banished by Miriam's piercing laughter.

" It's impossible," there was a tear in Miriam eyes because she laughed so hard. Bob tweaked aside of his eyebrow and stared at her overreactions.

Bob snorted. " Pfft, wanna bet?"

" Why not?" Miriam relaxingly said. " By the time I come back, I expect a home cook meal by Helga."

" Deal. Winner get anything they like," Bob said sarcastically as his brain began to remind himself the _minor_ facts that made the task so impossible. _It's okay, Bob_. He tried to calm himself as he forced a big smile, waving goodbye to his wife. _I can do it. I can conquer anything!

* * *

_

" What the F—" Helga furiously yelled.

" No cursing in this house, young lady," Bob interrupted in a teasing tone.

_Muwhahahahaha, _he closed his eyes, imagining himself again, roaring in satisfaction_. Victory is mine!_

He took a glance at Helga's grim darken face. Somehow, he would rather have Helga yelling, jumping up and down, or swung her arms like a fury needle ball that was about to explode up to nine layers of cloud.

_Uh-oh_, Bob's excitement dropped.

Helga gave him a malicious glare and stomped to her room. After closing the door tightly, Helga jumped on her bed with her face gripped tightly on the pillow and screamed. She wiggled her body on the bed like a berserk monster, trying to break free. Down stair, while Bob was worrying whether his plan could possibly be working, the ceiling rumbled softly for a minute as if it was a small minor earthquake. Bob sighed of relief and enjoyed his breakfast. _That was definitely Helga_, Bob smiled.

Lying on her bed, Helga darted her eyes around the old withered tiny room. She rolled herself one time to the right of her bed, and then turned to the left to her original spot. She looked at the closet and the black table; both were even older than she was, yet with many beloved memories. Helga tried to force herself to take a trip to dreamland. Another minute passed by, then another after another.

She thought of how suck this summer would be with no money and no regular meals. Scolding her face, Helga took a pillow, imagined Bob's face printed on it, and began to punch it continuously.

" I can't take this anymore!" Helga shouted. She stomped down the stair with a roll paper in her hand as if it was a knife and stride on front of Bob's face. " You devil…" Helga growled. " How can you ruin my summer like this?"

Helga screamed as she was ready to stab Bob whose eyes opened wide like fish eyes, with her paper knife. Then everything kind of turn blurry. Helga found herself lying on her bed. _Ahhh,_ she thought. _It was just a damn dream_. Helga sighed deeply and wiped a line of saliva off one side of her mouth as Bob knocked down her door.

" HELGA!" Bob shouted in delight.

Helga pinched herself. _Am I dreaming again?_ Helga thought recklessly.

" HELGA!" Bob began to laugh hysterically as he ran toward her. " YOU'RE H.P.G?"

" Uh… what?" Helga dully said as she was still in her sleep.

" You've won the five millions lottery!" Bob yelled.

That totally woke Helga up with widen eyes and jaw opened. " Can you repeat that?"

" You've won the five million dollars!" Bob grinned. " We're rich!"

" Whoa there, daddy-o. I've won it, right?"

" Yeah, and?"

" It's mine lottery ticket that won, right?"

" Yeah, and?"

" So it's mine, right?"

" Yeah? Shesh, get to the point."

" It's MINE, Bob. MINE. It's I'm rich, not '_we're rich'_."

" Aw… don't be stingy Helga."

" Stingy? Well, let's see. No allowance. I have to learn how to cook or starve to death. Was that stingy?"

" Well… I –"

" Yes it was stingy, a hundred percent stingy sentence from you, Bob."

When the doorbell interrupted the conversation, Helga quickly flew downstairs with a big smile on her face as she welcomed her big new five million dollars baby. Later the same day, she quickly bought a new house, which was already modeled and prepared everything for a million dollars, though registered under Olga's name because she wasn't eighteen yet. It was quite hard, trying to look like Olga and putting on all those nasty make-up on, but it was done. With four millions dollars left, Helga luxurious sweet year left high school life was set.

Ignoring Bob's words, no matter how hard he tried to talk to her, Helga ignored all of it. She joyfully packed the stuff in her room to her new house. Bob sighed and sat dully in his bed alone, give a call to Olga who was a few hundred miles away, and waiting for her to come back.

The next thing after putting her package in a new fresh room, Helga picked up the phone and called Phoebe.

" Phoebe?" Helga said.

" Yes, Helga?" Phoebe replied.

" Guess what?"

" What?"

" Chickenbutt."

" Helga!"

" Okay, no joke this time. I've just moved."

" You did? How come you didn't tell me earlier? Where did you move to Helga? Oh my god, we didn't even say goodbye and-"

" Calm down Phoebe. I just move up the street. Can you go to my old house and get the diary I put under my bed. I forgot it. Bob will tell you the new address. Please and thank you," Helga hung up.

About fifteen minutes later while Helga humming her song and admiring her new beautiful place, Phoebe arrived at the door.

" Welcome to my new wonderful magnificent ten-thousands-times-better-than-that-old-wrecked-place brand new house," Helga grinned, raising her two fingers of the peace sign.

" Wow… Helga… I can't believe this…" Phoebe was stunned to see what was on front of her, but then she snapped back to her original self and giggled to Helga. " You must tell me everything."

The two girls settled on the sofa and began to giggle unstop for about an hour.

" So what are you planning to do with all that money left Helga?" Phoebe asked, still sound giggle-ish.

" I don't really know, Phoeb. Just live a good life, I guess?" Helga replied.

" Tell me Helga, what do you want to be when you grow up?"

" An author. I want to create tears and laughers, even out of the toughest people."

" Great, then you could use those money for publishing your books when you succeed writing one!"

" I guess… I really don't want to think about the future this moment…"

Helga sighed, so did Phoebe.

" So what do you want to do this summer Phoeb.?"

" I have to stay at home this year and baby-sit my little cousin."

" That sucks."

" Yes, how about you?"

" I don't know yet. I can do anything."

" Lucky you!"

" Why don't you come over more often Phoeb. Have fun together. Good idea, no?"

" Fantastic. It will be really fun just the two of us."

" So where's my diary?"

" Oh, I almost forgot. I don't see it under the bed. I also looked everywhere in your room, but I didn't see it anywhere."

" Hm… Strange… There is no way I could have forgotten it!"

" Maybe you put it in one of your luggages over there."

" Probably," Helga began to get frustrated. She couldn't lose that precious diary. All her dirty little secrets would be expose!

" I wonder what the others would think of you, winning that lottery, now…" Phoebe tried to change the subject and escaped that pressure tension on Helga's face. " Especially Arnold…"

" Hm…" Helga didn't say anything and slightly blushed by the flutter sound of his name.

" After all, I remembered the reason you bought that lottery ticket was because of Arnold…" Phoebe smiled widely, teasing Helga.

" Jeeze, I didn't know the security at that lottery was that strict. They thought I was a thief or a stalker, so I was forced to buy the ticket to prove my innocent."

" Well, you were dressed like a stalker," Phoebe chuckled. " I mean, who wouldn't suspect a person whowas wearing sunglasses with a blanket over her head, and especiallywearing a strange outfit from drama club. Beside, you were following Arnold from behind purposely, that could consider stalking."

" Shesh, don't remind me," Helga blushed and ran away from the conversation into the kitchen, pretending she was getting a drink.

Phoebe followed and continued talking. " Helga, I knew it, so you don't have to be embarrassed when we're discussing it."

" Yes, but I just… can't help it," Helga turned her pink face away from her friend and quickly changed the topic. " You know, I think I'll need a maid."

" A maid? How come?"

" I was never good at cleaning or doing any of those housework things, especially cooking. Beside, I have plenty of money, so why not spare myself doing those stuff?"

" Whatever you like to do Helga. So… want to go to the mall tomorrow?" Phoebe beamed.

The girls continued to chat until the conversation was forced to interrupted at the evening by the doorbell. 

" Who is it?" Helga spoke through a device that somewhat shaped like a telephone.

" It's us, your dearest best friends," a girly voice Helga recognized spoke outside the door. Helga scolded. " Rhonda and Nadine are here."

_Ugh… great… what does she want?_ Helga grumpy thought.

Ever since junior high, Helga never liked Rhonda. Annoying pompous spoiled rich brat was what she had always thought of Rhonda. They never could stand each other anyway. Yet, Rhonda seemed to come here with a different manner today. As strange as it was, Helga reluctantly opened the door.

" What's up, girl?" Rhonda smiled and talked in the tone as if Helga was her home girl. Helga disgusted that.

" Nothing. What do you want?" Helga gave Rhonda a flatten look.

" I was just checking on you-"

" Me or my new place?"

" Well… you, of course, my dear. Why don't we save all the chatting inside and enjoy some tea?"

" Save it for next time. I already have a guest today. Go and drink tea with some other rich snob friends of yours for today."

" Such harsh words, Helga. I'm sure you don't mean it," Rhonda lowered her voice and tried to be calm toward Helga. " I guess I'll visit tomorrow then. Mind if I bring some friends?"

" Whatever," Helga slammed the door in Rhonda's face.

" That Helga…" Rhonda growled when Helga's house was out of sight. " She never changes, does she?"

" Why do you even bother, Rhonda?" Nadine curiously asked.

" I just want to have a little fun, Nadine. You couldn't possibly think that I wanted to be nice to Helga, do you?" Rhonda vainly said with her elegant posture.

" Who was that, Helga?" Phoebe asked as she checked out the TV set.

" Rhonda, an annoying rich brat," Helga said carelessly. " And Nadine."

" I see…" Phoebe's face grew a bit pale and worrier. In movies, usually, when the character's friend got rich or somehow turned into superior, people changed accorded to their environment. Phoebe shook her head and tried to erase that thought, hoping Helga wouldn't fall in that situation.

" You okay, Phoeb?" Helga asked.

" Yeah… I'm fine," Phoebe lied.

" Can I borrow your cell phone?"

" Sure," Phoebe said, handed Helga her cell, and got back into Helga's TV set, dreamingly thinking. _Wow… new techonology…

* * *

_

**Chae.Rim: End Chapter I. To be continue…**

Was that okay? Good? Better? Or worse? Leave any comment/suggestion, anything on your mind about this on your way out. Thank you for reading.

Thank you, reviewers. I'm not really an expert at grammar, so please don't mind the minor errors. I'm trying my best to improve. Especially, acosta pérez josé Ramiro, thank you for the suggestion. I really appreciated it. :)

Until next time!


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